


for you i'll give up my whole

by nezstorm



Series: chasing tails [17]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Hale Family, Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Kid Fic, M/M, POV Multiple, Pre-Slash, Werefox Stiles, Young Peter Hale, kid stiles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-03-28 19:54:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13911042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nezstorm/pseuds/nezstorm
Summary: Stiles doesn't talk about his family often. Not directly.





	for you i'll give up my whole

Stiles doesn't talk about his family often. Not directly. 

 

Sometimes he'll reach for something, call “mama” or “daddy” only to remember halfway through the name that they aren’t there anymore to help him. He'll get this lost, momentarily confused look on his face as he looks around for his parents, until he remembers that they're gone and his face crumbles. 

 

He runs off and hides then, shifts and curls up under his bed or in the closet, once in the laundry basket.

 

One of the Hales always comes to find him, sits by wherever he’s hiding and waits for him to come out, holds him close as he cries and whimpers.

 

He opens up slowly, to Peter and Derek most because he’s closest to them, but Talia too - she is a mother figure to him now. It’s little things he reveals, most times without even realizing that he's said it.  Things like “mom did it this day”, “dad added that”, “this one time when daddy took me fishing…” and he gets lost in the story.

 

The Hales are supportive and always try to encourage him to tell them more. They can’t give him his parents back, but they don’t want him to forget them either.

 

It's a joint effort and the tang of sadness will always be there, but steadily, Stiles opens up. 

 

\---

 

Stiles is sitting at the table with his friends: bracketed with Scott on one side and Lydia on the other, Isaac, Boyd and Erica in front of them. Jackson is there too, following Lydia like a puppy. 

 

They’re eating lunch. Stiles already started on the sandwich Mark made for him, his little mouth barely able to open wide enough to bite into it, it’s so thick. The rest though, is busy making deals and exchanging treats. 

 

Erica’s fruit cups for Lydia’s ham and cheese muffins, a few of Boyd’s pizza scrolls for Isaac’s apple chips, Scott’s apple juice for Jackson’s orange one. 

 

Stiles likes that he doesn’t have to deal his food, that Uncle Mark or Laura will always prepare something he’ll enjoy eating. And on the rare occasions that it’s Aunt Talia that made it he’ll always get a bonus granola bar.

 

He likes that, he does. But when he watches his friends he remembers how his mom would always mix up his and his dad’s lunches, how they’d swipe their bags without even opening them. How she crowed in delight that one time she got it right and they got it wrong themselves.

 

“Stiles?”

 

He wipes at his eyes with the sleeve of his hoodie and sniffles, refuses to look up his sandwich and meet Lydia’s gaze.

 

Scott bumps their shoulders together lightly.

 

“Hey, what’s wrong? Did you want to swap with too?”

 

“What a crybaby,” he hears Jackson groan, “someone give him a cookie or something so he’ll stop sniveling. I’m losing my appetite here.”

 

“Jackson!” Lydia yells and hits Jackson on the shoulder at the same time as Isaac kicks him under the table.

 

Stiles is grateful that his friends care, but he really wants to go home.

 

“It’s okay. I just don’t feel well,” he pushes away from the table and collects his things, “I’ll go to the nurse.”

 

He turns away before Scott or anyone else can propose coming with him. He does head for the nurse’s office, but only because he’ll find one of Aunt Talia’s betas there and they’ll give her a call if he asks. 

 

Fifteen minutes later Uncle Mark arrives and doesn’t even ask when Stiles clings to him and refuses to let go. 

 

\--

 

Deucalion is an alpha from all the way on the other side of the country, but he's powerful and has connections. And a few of Talia's betas want to attend school in his territory. The alliance is reasonable and most welcome, and Talia greets Deucalion at their door with open arms. 

 

They’ve already agreed on the terms, and long since abandoned Talia’s study in favor of the living room where they’re sipping coffee. They can both hear Mark’s car and Talia’s instantly worried, when it’s not only Mark that returned home.

 

Stiles should be still at school.

 

Deucalion says nothing, though he certainly senses her worry, but he does put his cup away. She gives him a tight smile and rises from her chair to check on the little fox as soon as he’s in the house.

 

He comes in carried by Mark, looking so small and like he’s six again as he clings to her husband. She’s about to ask what happened, her mouth already opening to voice the question, but she comes to a stop when she hears Deucalion’s heart stutter.

 

“Stiles?”

 

Talia turns on her heel and faces the alpha, her wolf bristling and ready to protect what’s hers. But the look on Deucalion’s face is one of shock and wonder.

 

And then another surprise comes in the form of Stiles pushing out of Mark’s hold and barreling past Talia and right into Deucalion’s legs with an excited shriek.

 

“Uncle Deuc!”

 

Talia feels like she should sit down for a moment. 

 

\--

 

Peter rushes home after school, he can’t really lie about that.

 

He got a text from Mark earlier telling him that he doesn’t have to pick Stiles up, that Stiles is already home. But that was all the message said. Obviously, Peter demanded to know more, but got no reply.

 

He knows that they’d tell him if something serious happened to the little fox, but he hates not knowing for sure.

 

So he speeds and Talia will know because his sister always knows, but he doesn’t care. He all but crashes through the door and hones in on Stiles’ heartbeat right away.

 

And promptly stops dead in his tracks as he sees Stiles laughing as he sits in an older man’s lap, looking completely at ease as he’s cuddled close. The picture of family.

 

He hears Laura at his side, but doesn’t turn too look at her, focused on Stiles.

 

“That’s Alpha Deucalion,” she informs him, and yes, he does recall Talia mentioning him. But it doesn’t explain the scene in front of them, not until Laura continues with, “Stiles called him  _ uncle _ .”

 

Something ugly twists in Peter’s gut.

 

But then Stiles is turning around, having finally noticed Peter is there, and his eyes are wide with excitement, his grin broad like he can’t stop it, and he’s beckoning Peter over with one hand as he tugs at his uncle with the other. 

 

Peter is helpless against that sweet face. He’ll follow it anywhere.

 

\---

 

They learn later, as they sit at the dinner table with Stiles wedged between his uncle and Peter, that Stiles was born and grew up in Deucalion’s territory. 

 

Stiles’ parents, like most foxes, were nomadic and wandered between one place and another all their lives. But when Stiles’ mother, Claudia, felt the baby would be coming soon, they asked Deucalion for shelter.

 

They stayed until Stiles was five years old. 

 

But in all the years they spent living among Deucalion’s pack they became dear friends, and little Stiles became dear to them all. 

 

“He’s always been drawn to wolves,” Deucalion says ruffling Stiles’ hair with a fond smile, the boy wrapping his arms around his middle the best he can and nuzzling in, “I’m glad to see it served him well.”

 

Then he says,

 

“I know the others would love to see you too, especially Ennis and the twins.”

 

And Peter has to clench his teeth to stop the whine at the very implication. 

 

Deucalion and his pack are Stiles’ family. 

 

Stiles might want to go back to them.

 

Stiles might leave. 

 

\---

 

It’s difficult to watch Stiles say goodnight to his uncle that night. Watch them scent each other, cheek to cheek.

 

It breaks Peter’s heart to see Deucalion lean down so Stiles can press a kiss to his forehead. 

 

It stirs a green eyes beast inside of him and he retreats to his room so he doesn’t have to see more. 

 

He ignores the knowing look Talia sends him. Ignores it all really because he can’t handle even  _ thinking _ that someone could take the little fox away.

 

He’s happy for Stiles, he thinks as he sits heavily on his bed. He’s happy that the boy still has someone to tell him about his parents. Stiles’ happiness is important to Peter on a level that scares him sometimes.

 

But it terrifies him more that he might soon be unable to ensure his fox is properly cared for. 

 

Yet, if Stiles says himself that he wants to go with Deucalion--

 

Peter flops on the bed and buries his face in the pillows that smell just much of Stiles as they smell of him. 

 

He’s afraid of the moment it’ll be just his smell alone, but he’ll never say it out loud. 

 

Just as he won’t stop Stiles from going if that’s what he wants. No matter how painful it’ll be. 

 

When the little fox joins him in bed a half an hour later, exhausted from the day’s events but still chattering sleepily, Peter just pulls him close and holds on tight.

 

He refuses to give the boy up without a fight.

 

\--

 

He confronts Deucalion the next day, cornering him as soon as Stiles distracts Talia with one thing or another. 

 

“Alpha Deucalion,” he says, words formal as he stands before the man, “Stiles is very dear to me and while I know our packs have formed an alliance already, I would like to request permission to enter your territory to visit Stiles twice a month.” 

 

He thought hard about what to do, lying wide awake with Stiles snuffling into his ear. It’s only a few years before he graduates from high school, he can manage that long if he can see Stiles regularly. And later, well, there are some good colleges in the area. He’s sure he’ll find something that suits him. 

 

Of course, with that much space separating them Stiles might find another wolf to love like he loves Peter now, but he’ll worry about that if and when the time comes. 

 

Deucalion looks at him steadily. He seems amused, but Peter can’t be sure. 

 

“You’re the one that found Stiles, I believe. Stiles’ Peter.”

 

“Yes, sir,” Peter replies even though it wasn’t a question. 

 

“He speaks very fondly of you,” Deucalion tells him, and Peter thinks that’s good. That makes the chances of Deucalion agreeing to his request even bigger. 

 

“While I myself don’t see a reason to ban you from seeing each other, maybe you should speak to him about it first.”

 

What? There’s now way-- Stiles would never cut him off just like that. 

 

“Why?” he asks hoping that his voice comes out normal despite his sudden panic.

 

Deucalion laughs and Peter is glad that at least someone is having fun here because he feels pretty damn close to a heart attack just waiting for the alpha do elaborate.

 

“Oh calm down, Peter, it’s nothing bad. Stiles already asked me if it’s okay if he stays here because, as he said, he’ll marry you someday so he can’t just leave. I do believe he’s asking your sister if you both can visit me soon, instead.”

 

“Oh,” Peter doesn’t even try to hide his relief. It seems Deucalion saw right through him from the start.

 

The alpha steps close to Peter and grants him with a small smile that looks genuine.

 

“I’m relieved to see he has someone that would sacrifice so much for him.”

 

\--

 

Peter feels dizzy with relief and light on his feet after his conversation with Deucalion.

 

Stiles won’t leave.

 

Stiles wants to stay here, with them. With Peter.

 

He’ll stay.

 

Peter doesn’t consciously seek out Stiles, but he finds him anyway, the little fox playing with his Ninja Turtle figurines on the back porch.

 

And Peter just picks him up off the floor and twirls him around until he’s giggling and yelling at Peter to stop before he pukes.

 

“What’s up with you?” Stiles asks when he catches his breath.

 

Peter is still holding him up, but Stiles seems comfortable enough with his legs dangling in the air.

 

“Nothing,” Peter nuzzles at his cheek, hides his smile right there, “just thought I’d see if you can fly.”

 

“Of course I can’t, silly. Foxes don’t fly,” Stiles laughs and bats at his arms. Then he seems to remember something and pokes at Peter until he can look at him properly. “I asked Aunt Tal if I can visit Uncle Deuc next month and she agreed. Wanna come with?”

 

He’s smiling at Peter, a brilliant, happy thing that Peter would give up the world for.

 

“Yes,” he says, “Always.”

  
  
  



End file.
